Vernon Malone school closes early because of flooding; other schools on regular schedule

Vernon Malone Career and College Academy closed early on Tuesday because of flooding.

The school on South Wilmington Street announced on its website that school would be dismissed at 10 a.m. Tuesday “due to rising water.”

A classroom, the gym and an administrator’s office were flooded with a few inches of water on Tuesday. No other significant damage or flooding was reported at other Wake County schools, according to school system spokeswoman Lisa Luten, and other schools were on a normal schedule.

“They’re drying out those areas and cleaning up, and we expect to resume normal schedule tomorrow,” Luten said.

Only minor leaks were reported at some Johnston County schools, spokeswoman Tracey Peedin Jones said Tuesday, and school was expected to remain on normal schedule.

Vernon Malone student drivers were allowed to drive home, and bus riders and carpool students were taken to Southeast Raleigh High School. Carpool students could be picked up from the Southeast Raleigh auditorium at 10 a.m. and bus riders were provided transportation.

School staff stayed with students at school until arrangements have been made for each child to get home safely.

Parents of students at some downtown Raleigh schools were notified of road closures that limited access to schools, Luten said, and parents were asked to be careful while driving to pick up their students.

Vernon Malone was closed for nearly three months after flooding from Hurricane Matthew last fall damaged the main building. Students just returned in January.

After the flooding, the Wake County school board approved contracts in November to repair and reopen Vernon Malone’s campus at 2200 S. Wilmington St.

This story was originally published April 25, 2017 at 10:23 AM with the headline "Vernon Malone school closes early because of flooding; other schools on regular schedule."